# Clarification on module

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/clarification-on-module/35990>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [November 12, 2021, 9:48am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/clarification-on-module/35990 "2021-11-12T09:48:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nitesh\_shet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ea924/32.png) [@nitesh\_shet](https://forum.ansible.com/u/nitesh_shet)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 9:48am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/clarification-on-module/35990/1 "2021-11-12T09:48:07Z")

</div>

Hi,

I have a few queries regarding the Module run on remote machines :-

1. If I run a playbook which has a task to run some module, does that module create any temporary file in the remote machine to run the module?
2. Is it necessary that a remote machine should have a python package installed in it?
3. If Module creates a temporary file in a remote machine,can anybody specify which location it will create?

Please help me with the above questions.

Thank you,  
Nitesh

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![vbotka](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/vbotka/32/359_2.png) [@vbotka](https://forum.ansible.com/u/vbotka)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 11:07am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/clarification-on-module/35990/2 "2021-11-12T11:07:18Z")

</div>

> 1. If I run a playbook which has a task to run some module, does that  
> module create any temporary file in the remote machine to run the module?

Yes. It does. The default is '$HOME/.ansible/tmp' where $HOME is the  
home directory of \*remote\_user\*. Search \*remote\_tmp\* in FAQ to learn  
more  
[https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference\_appendices/faq.html#](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference_appendices/faq.html#)

It seems that it's not documented in 'Ansible Configuration Settings'  
[https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference\_appendices/config.html#ansible-configuration-settings](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/reference_appendices/config.html#ansible-configuration-settings)

Also 'shell\> ansible-config dump | grep -i remote\_tmp' shows nothing,  
instead of expected default.

> 2. Is it necessary that a remote machine should have a python package  
> installed in it?

Yes. It is. Ansible tries to select a platform's default. See the  
configuration  
'shell\> ansible-config dump | grep -i INTERPRETER\_PYTHON'

> 3. If Module creates a temporary file in a remote machine,can anybody  
> specify which location it will create?

You can configure 'remote\_tmp', but you have to understand the  
security implications. See 'Risks of becoming an unprivileged user'  
[https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user\_guide/become.html#risks-of-becoming-an-unprivileged-user](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/user_guide/become.html#risks-of-becoming-an-unprivileged-user)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nitesh\_shet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ea924/32.png) [@nitesh\_shet](https://forum.ansible.com/u/nitesh_shet)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 11:08am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/clarification-on-module/35990/3 "2021-11-12T11:08:43Z")

</div>

Thank you for the clarification.